igniting and nurturing creative, ethical, scientific minds

that advance the human condition

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I l l i n o i s M a t h e m a t i c s a n d S c i e n c e A c a d e m y ®

ABOUTIMSA Established by the State of Illinois to develop talent and leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy has become an internationally recognized, world-class powerhouse for inspiring, chal­lenging and nurturing talented students who use their exceptional abilities to improve people's lives. IMSA's advanced residential college preparatory program enables academically talented Illinois students in grades 10 through 12 to reach extraordinary levels of achievement.

DISTINCTIVE HONORS •The Wall Street Journal named IMSA

among the top 40 public and private college preparatory institutions in the world for placing graduates in U.S. Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities

• IMSA has been profiled by Wired.com, Education Week, CNN, Nature journal, NBC-TV's Dateline, The New York Times, Worth Magazine and Newsweek

• IMSA was named the winner of the prestigious Intel Schools of Distinction Star Innovator Award in 2009

TUITION, ROOM AND BOARD IMSA is tuition-free, with no charge for room and board. An annual student fee is assessed based on family size and income. No student is ever refused because of inability to pay.

F i n d y o u r

v o i c e a t I M S A

YVETTE RAMIREZ, CLASS OF 20U

"IMSA has offered me amazing experiences that I would not have had if I had stayed at my home school. From research to community service to becoming a leader in extracurricular activities, I have learned just as much outside of the classroom as I have inside. Coming to IMSA has been one of the best decisions of my life."

D i s c o v e r t h e

p o s s i b i l i t i e s

f o r y o u r s e l f

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DAYVON SNELL, CLASS OF 2015

"IMSA's way of teaching is completely different from the way that I've been taught my whole life. The inquiry based learning makes me search for my own answers instead of relying on a book or a teacher to give them to me. Because of this I have become more of an independent thinker and am able to grasp different concepts faster."

LEARNING AT IMSA An education at IMSA offers far more than conventional honors courses. IMSA fosters a collaborative learning environment that is problem-centered, inquiry-based and integrative. Our talented faculty members, who are among the nation's best, guide students to engage in exploration, think critically and creatively, and apply their cross-disciplinary knowledge to address significant, real world issues. IMSA students are engaged in rich opportunities to work with prominent scholars and researchers, explore questions of their own, champion their ideas for product development and make significant leadership contributions.

SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS • An IMSA team of students was selected as finalists in the NASA Exploration Design Challenge where they were asked to design shielding to protect a radiation detector on the upcoming Orion mission

• An I MSA team received the highest ranking possible in the 15th annual international High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling

• IMSA students won more gold medals than any other high school in the nation in the National Russian Essay Contest

• An IMSA senior was named a semifinalist in the Annual Intel Science Talent Search

• IMSA Scholastic Bowl Team won their third straight IHSA State Championship

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STUDENT INQUIRY AND RESEARCH PROGRAM [SIR] The SIR program enables students to pursue compelling questions of interest, conduct

and present findings of original research and .^Jfi^s$lliiKf;-t

collaborate with other students, mentors, .^-'"^SKWFP^ scholars, researchers and inventors throughout J|MF the world. On Wednesdays no classes J|P are scheduled and instead students conduct

idi. investigations both on-campus and at . ^ i f f prominent institutions including Northwestern

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INNOVATION AND H?"*'s

£ ENTREPRENEURSHIP Planning is underway for 1 MSA's exciting

W* Innovation Hub, seeded by a $1 million gift W^ y^ from Steve Chen, IMSA alumnus and * co-founder of YouTube. The newly renovated 6,400 square foot space on IMSA's campus J K is expected to open in 2016. z^~

IMSA's TALENT program focuses on student entrepreneurship in a STEM context. TALENT

provides learning experiences to stimulate ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ _ _ _ _ _ entrepreneurial student business ideas. The MHIMT" "'^jjjiji annual Power Pitch contest invites students to • • ;^^ f f l^BPp| |^ ty develop their ideas and present them to W B P ^ ^ i w M i W ^ entrepreneurial leaders at 1871 (Chicago's Entrepreneurial Hub for Digital Startups). _

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IRINA WIRJAN, CLASS OF 2015 'Participating in Student Inquiry & Research my junior year helped me explore a field I was interested in but didn't know much about; dermatology. Working in a lab was a tremendous opportunity for me to gain first-hand insight into the world of research and experimentation."

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M a k e f r i e n d s

f o r a l i f e t i m e

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SAMEEKSHA MALHOTRA, CLASS OF 2015

"Some of my most cherished memories have come from the residential aspect of IMSA. Because each student has a wing and hall to call his or her own, a sense of community and belonging arises and brings all of us closer together. Even though some students have issues with homesickness in the beginning of the year, it typically fades as IMSA becomes their second home."

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LIVING AT IMSA

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3

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Residence Halls

Male

Female

Co-Ed

Students per Hall

Resident Counselors per Hall

At IMSA you'll find an engaging, living-learning environment where you will reside with fellow students, learn about yourself, discover your place in a community, develop a sense of independence and gain an appreciation for other cultures and traditions.

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COMMUNITY Find your place in a community where you will be surrounded by peers sharing similar social and educational values. The residence halls become your second home, and your resident counselor and hall mates are there for support.

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM Taking charge of your life starts the moment you arrive at IMSA. As a sophomore, you will participate in weekly programming that will help you to

• Build strong friendships that will last a lifetime

• Develop self-reliance, resilience, confidence and character

• Appreciate, celebrate and promote cultural differences

• Identify your dreams, aspirations and interests to help you choose a career path wm

PLAY Musicians can continue to develop their musical talents, athletes can stay active in their sport of choice, and student leaders can get involved in any one—or likely, more—of Student Council's sponsored clubs.

Girls Athletics: Basketball, Bass Fishing, Bowling, Cheerleading, Co-Ed Golf, Cross Country, Dance Squad, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball

Boys Athletics: Baseball, Basketball, Bass Fishing, Co-Ed Golf, Cross Country, Dance Squad, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball

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Campus Groups: African American Student Association, Alma Latina, Class Club, Drama Club, Habitat for Humanity, IMSA Student Productions, Math Team, Peer Multi­cultural Educators, Robotics, Scholastic Bowl, Science Olympiad, Solo/Ensemble Club, Student Newspaper, plus many, many more!

SERVE Service Learning provides students with an opportunity to learn about community organizations, the working world, and their role as contributing volunteers. To give back to the community, all IMSA students are required to complete 200 hours of service prior to graduation.

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D e v e l o p y o u r

t a l e n t s — b o t h

i n a n d o u t o f

t h e c l a s s r o o m

RAVEN JACKSON, CLASS OF 2015

"IMSA has so many clubs and organizations; as a sophomore at Club Fair, I was over­whelmed with deciding what to participate in. My home school didn't have all of these opportunities. Organizations such as the African American Student Association have helped me find my passions and also provided me with joy along the way."

D i s t i n g u i s h e d

A l u m n i

DR. THANDEKA CHAPMAN '89 Associate Professor, Department of Education Studies, University of California, San Diego Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison

" M y love a f fa i r w i t h rac ia l l y a n d

c u l t u r a l l y d i v e r s e l iv ing

a n d l e a r n i n g s p a c e s s t a r t e d

a t I M S A . . . I M S A g a v e u s t h e

o p p o r t u n i t y to live a n d l e a r n

w i t h c u l t u r e s w i r l i n g a l l

a r o u n d us . T o d a y I u s e m y

s c h o l a r s h i p to p u s h f o r

p u b l i c s c h o o l s to prov ide a l l

c h i l d r e n w i t h t h e s a m e

a m a z i n g , l a s t i n g e x p e r i e n c e s

t h a t I h a d a t I M S A . "

STEVE CRUTCHFIELD P93 EVR Head of U.S. Options, NYSE Euronext M.B.A., University of Chicago

" I M S A g a v e m e m y f i rs t

t a s t e of w h a t it's r e a l l y l ike to

l e a r n a n d g r o w in a

c o l l a b o r a t i v e e n v i r o n m e n t

t h a t e n c o u r a g e s d i s c o v e r y

a n d c r e a t i v e t h i n k i n g . I

c o m p l e t e d m y t i m e a t I M S A

w i t h a t e r r i f i c f o u n d a t i o n

f o r f u t u r e s t u d i e s , a n i n t e n s e

love of l e a r n i n g , a n d

f r i e n d s h i p s t h a t w i l l l as t

a l i f e t i m e . "

TIM MEYER'92 Chief Operating Officer, Fermilab Ph.D., Stanford University

" M y f i r s t w e e k s at IMSA as

pa r t of i ts f o u r t h c l a s s

a re f r ozen in m y m i n d as t h e

s ta r t of s o m e t h i n g amaz ing .

We a t t e n d e d a convoca t i on at

Fe rm i l ab w i t h IMSA Founde r

and N o b e l L a u r e a t e Dr. L e o n

L e d e r m a n , and I abso rbed

insp i ra t ion, possibi l i ty , and t he

pursu i t of excel lence. Those

t h r e e y e a r s w e r e t r a n s f o r m a ­

tive fo r a young m i n d look ing

fo r a place in the w o r l d and fo r

t h e c h a n c e to m a k e an

e s s e n t i a l d i f fe rence . W h a t I

l e a r n e d t h e n s t i l l g u i d e s m e

now. And the people tha t

i n f l uenced and s u p p o r t e d m e

then , s t i l l do today."

CLARA SHIH'00 Hearsay Social CEO and Co-Founder M.S., Oxford University

"I t h a n k I M S A f o r i n s p i r i n g

m e t o i m a g i n e a f u t u r e

t h a t d i d n ' t e x i s t b e f o r e , a n d

f o r p r o v i d i n g m e w i t h t h e

m a t h , s c i e n c e a n d

t e c h n o l o g y b u i l d i n g b l o c k s

t o m a k e t h a t f u t u r e a

r ea l i t y . "

TO BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY YOU MUST

• Be an Illinois resident and enrolled in an Illinois school at the time of application

• Have completed Algebra 1 and a high school equivalent science course

Typical applicants are in the 9th grade, applying for entrance into the 10th grade at IMSA.

TO APPLY CANDIDATES NEED TO

• Complete the online application at www.imsa.edu, including student essays, activity list and parent statement

• Have a current or prior year English, math and science teacher complete the IMSA evaluation form

• Have a current guidance counselor or principal complete the Principal/Guidance Counselor Form

• Submit official grade reports for the past 21/2 years

• Take the SAT test between October and January of the application year and submit an official score report

THE APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 1 Selection criteria includes a demonstrated interest in STEM, a history of academic achievement and involvement in leadership and extracurricular activities.

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A p p l i c a t i o n

I n f o r m a t i o n

KELLY LOFGREN, IMSA DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS

"We receive many applications from students with a history of tremendous academic achievements and involvement in activities. These are important for success at IMSA, but even more important, we look for students who love math and science, building and creating things, who use their imaginations, take risks and dream big. Their teachers describe them as the best they've ever taught, and as individuals who raise the quality of the learning experience for all."

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IMSA ALUMNI

As undergraduate and graduate students, IMSA alumni receive numerous academic, research and leadership accolades including Fulbright, Hearst, Marshall, Rhodes, Siebel and Truman scholarships.

Alumni are fulfilling IMSA's promise to Illinois—using their talents and compassion to advance the human condition. Many IMSA alumni are making strong contributions to their fields and society.

• Conducting research in ecology, evolutionary biology, infectious diseases and astronomy, working for multi-national Fortune 500 companies as consultants in e-commerce and as design engineers

• Flying jets for the United States Air Force and Navy

• Improving detection devices for the diagnosis of cancer and leading breakthroughs in neurological disorders

• Becoming business leaders, engineers, physicists, chemistry teachers, scientists at national labora­tories and leaders in education at Harvard, MIT and other universities.

• Improving the way we live, learn, and work as entrepreneurs, IMSA alumni were part of the start-up teams that created Netscape, PayPal and YouTube.

ALUMNI STATISTICS

5,457

99-8%

70%

60%

alumni

graduating students have enrolled in college

of undergraduate degrees are in STEM, compared to the national average of 33%

work in a STEM occupation or field

CONNECT WITH US

VISIT

w w w . i m s a . e d u FOR MORE INFORMATION

n n B J G a

r ^ l M S A

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® 1500 Sullivan Road Aurora, IL 60506-1000 630-907-5000 www.imsa.edu

© 2014 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® Printed by the authority of the State of Illinois 20,000, 09/14, RO.#45734